The Wedding
by RoseofAnotherName
Summary: Archdemon slain. The Blight has ended, and Alistair is now King of Ferelden. Now Elissa Cousland has a new difficult quest that she must face. Her wedding day. One-shot.


Ok. So this is a short one-shot that I wrote. I am having a sort of a writer's block for Her Atonement, so I hope this helps. I highly suggest listening to the song "The Ledlows" from the soundtrack Legends of the Fall, while reading this. Trust me!

* * *

There was no way in the world that this was happening. There just couldn't be. There was no way! I stood there, looking out the window of my room to the world just waking up. Or about to anyways. I wrapped my arms around me, as I started to get nervous. The question of the day was, could I actually go through with it? Butterflies and whatever else I felt, were getting stronger by the second, especially when I saw a couple of servants laughing as they passed under my window. One of them, a young girl, looked up and saw me. She giggled as she waved at me, and I waved back trying not to think of what was going to happen in a few hours. They quickly darted out of view, and I closed my eyes, running my hand through my now longer hair. Oh how I hated it this long, but of course, for this day I needed it to be longer. Or so what Leliana and Wynne keep telling me.

Sighing, I slowly turned around to look at the armore that showed the long flowey white dress with the silver and diamond chainmail that the dwarves themselves crafted for me. Leaning against the dress was my family's shield that I had saved from Arl Howe, which seemed so far away. My eyes scrutinized the dress as thoughts of doubt started to creep into my mind. I didn't deserve this day, not with him! I could be the Hero of Ferelden, but Queen? I didn't know anything about ruling over a country, much less the one that I just saved. I wasn't as beautiful as Anora, nor was I that intelligent as she was. I looked around my room, away from the dress. It was starting to get stuffy in here I needed some air, I needed to run, walk, or whatever! I needed to leave just for a bit...Not running away, I just needed time to myself.

I grabbed a pair of trouser's that I somehow was able to hide from all the servants, and threw them on.

"BARK!"

I fell onto the floor, looking over to my bed to see that Ares, my war hound, my dear friend was awake, and was looking at me confused. He tilted his head, as if trying to ask me what I was doing, or where I was going.

"It's ok boy...I'm just going for a walk..." I whispered, praying to the Maker that Ares didn't wake anyone up. The last thing I needed right now was Leliana going on and on about my hair, how beautiful my dress was and so on and so on. Ares gave me a hard look, as if seeing if he should bark again.

"Don't worry," I said standing up and tucking in my under tunic. "I will be back...I promise." I looked back at him, and it seemed to be the answer he was looking for, for he just laid his head back down on his paws and closed his eyes. I slowly backed away from the bed, grabbed a cloak and as I twirled it around me I quickly walked over to the window and opened it. It wasn't a far drop, but I didn't want to risk it by just jumping. I wasn't that much of an idiot. I walked to my bed, and yanked the sheets from under Ares. He jumped up in surprise, but didn't bark at me, which I was again thankful for. I didn't have much time, as the sun was now starting to peak over the horizons. I quickly tied the sheets together, and tied the end to the bedpost that was only a few feet away from the window. Throwing the other end out the window, I leaned over to see how far it actually went. It didn't reach all the way down, but it was close enough that I could fall without injuring myself. The future Queen. Shivers went down my spine. So this is how Alistair felt the whole time we were fighting darkspawn. Now I understood that look that he gave me at he Landsmeet. I stood on the window sill, with my back facing the world, and smiled at Ares who just sat there waging his tail at me.

"Don't worry I will be back promise!" I then slowly lowered myself down the window sill, and onto the brick wall. I was going to be back. Why wouldn't I? I loved Alistair with all of my heart and I would do anything to make sure that he was safe and happy. Note what happened the night before the battle.

I slowly walked down the wall, as I scolded myself for not thinking this through enough, and when I got to the end of the makeshift rope, and I let go, falling all but one foot. I laughed at myself for being so stupid what I had just done, and what a sight that would have been. The Queen of Ferelden escaping her room on the day she wed. I flung back my hood admiring my escape, then laughed as I turned and jogged to the stables. That is what I needed. A quick little horse ride through the streets of Denerim in the early morning should clear my head for a bit. When I got to the stables, again no one was there. This was just getting too easy. I quickly quietly went in and found a horse that was already to go for a quick ride in one of the stalls. Something wasn't right.

I stepped back out of the stall to see a shadow move, fallowed by footsteps. I quickly dodged into another stall, for surely this was the person that had already prepared the horse.

"What do you think about this? Hmm?"

My eyes widen as I heard a familiar voice start to talk. I slowly peeked over the wall of the stall to the one across from me. I smiled as I saw Alistair dressed in his regular trouser's and shirt, feeding the horse a carrot. "Don't give me that look. You don't think Zevran and Shale were right do you? That she would leave me at the alter?" He laughed as he sat down on some hay looking at his feet thinking. Nervousness and confusion shown on his face. "Oh Maker!" He ran his hand through his blonde hair, "I just need this bloody wedding to be over with!" He stood up and started to walk out the stall. I quickly ducked down, almost falling over as he walked by me. So he was nervous about this too. I smiled as he walked out. Seeing him made me feel a little better.

I laughed as I walked back to the castle, looking up at the sky, and finally feeling free, if only for a little bit more. I quietly made my way through the servant's entrance, which just startled all the servant's and made the cook nearly faint. All I did was smile, and wave them on as I quickly ran up the stairs that lead to the main hall. Wynne, and Leliana were going to have my head.

"There you are!" Cried Leliana as I opened the door to my rooms. She, and everyone that was in the room also stood up either out of respect for me being the Hero of Ferelden, or the future Queen. And that is when the butterflies started to come back. I weakly smiled at them as I looked around the room. Wynne was there smiling in her circle robes, Leliana was wearing the latest Orlesian fashion. Her nug, Schmooples, sat under her chair nervously looking around.

"You're Majesty..." Lady Isolde said, bowing to me. She looked happy, so much younger then when I had last seen her at Redcliffe.

I smiled, and tears started to come to my eyes. Oh how long did I wish for this day! Oh how I prayed to the Maker that night before the battle that Morrigan was telling me the truth! And now it is finally here. I looked back at Leliana, who I could see that she was also starting to tear up.

"Don't," I said, waving my hand in front of me. "For once you start...so will I."

"Here my girl..." said Wynne walking up towards me, holding the wedding dress in front of her. "It is time."

I didn't know how long it took, but for me it seemed like forever. My hair was painfully brushed out, and braided with small white daisies, and was put in a loose bun on the back of my head. Then I was squeezed into the bodice of the dress, and when I moved, the skirt itself danced around me. Then only thing that I was used to, was putting on the chainmail that I had to fight tooth and nail for. I wasn't going to let anyone think that I was something else then a warrior. Even on my wedding day. Now mind you, the chainmail wasn't practical chainmail, but purely ceremonially. It had short sleeves, that went over the longer quarter sleeves of the dress, and when it reached the skirt part of my dress, it split down the middle, like all the other dresses that everyone else wore. I then took my brown belt that I had worn through everything, and tied it around my waist to pull the chainmail closer to me. I was tempted to have the sword, my sword, that killed the Archdemon strapped to my belt, but I had a feeling that Alistair had taken it.

I took a deep breath, and turned to look at myself in the mirror. I smiled, as I saw Wynne hold a hand against her mouth holding back the tears, Leliana smiling clasping her hands in front of her like she always did when she was excited, and Lady Isolde walking up from behind me and gently putting the long, lace veil that the Dalish elves had woven for me. She gently placed the center on top of my head, then slowly, she placed a small silver and diamond crown on top of that.

"And the final touches..." Whispered Wynne as she handed me my family's shield.

"Don't forget this..." I turned to my right, and Leliana motioned me to bend down and I slowly did. Even though this chainmail was just ceremony chainmail, it still was heavy. "You're rose from Alistair..."

I stood back up and smiled at her. I never told her about the rose, lest she deemed me crazy, or even just making fun of her vision. And after all this time, the rose never wilted. In my heart, I knew it was the same rose that she had saw, and it was the sign from the Maker to me, and everyone else around me. That he was watching over us, and was there for us.

"BARK!"

I laughed as everyone else did in that room as Ares walked in through the door that my dear brother Fergus had opened.

"Mother and Father would be so proud of you!" He said, giving me a huge hug.

"Careful!" I said, as the hug ended. I looked at him and tried to hold back more of those bloody tears, but one escaped, and Fergus gently smiled. "I wish they could be here."

"I know...I know." He squeezed my shoulders and smiled. "But enough tears my little sister! This is a happy day!" He let go of my shoulders and started to back up out of the room. "I will go tell everyone that you are ready. And Elissa..."

"Yes?"

"I am so proud of you...my little sister." He smiled one last time, and then left the room closing the door behind him.

"Come, come!" said Lady Isolde as ushered Ares, Leliana, and Wynne out of the room. "We must take our places," she turned around to me and said, "Are you ready?"

* * *

"No...I can't do this..." I took a step backwards away from the doors that led to the Chantry, that led to where the ceremony was going to take place. My nerves were starting to get the better part of me.

"Yes you can!" Laughed Wynne as she took my hand and held it. "From when I joined you in your quest to save Ferelden, you convinced everyone that you could do the impossible. You fought darkspawn in the deep roads, you managed to convince a nation to back you and a young former Templar to become King, you saved all of us from certain doom, and you killed the archdemon to end the blight! Now...tell me why you,_ you_ cannot possibly marry the man that she loves?"

I couldn't say anything back. She was right, and I hated her for it. I didn't want to disappoint Alistair, or the country as a matter of fact. I looked back towards the door. I was terrified, but she was right.

I felt her hand leave mine, and the doors opened in front of me.

The hall was beautiful. Blue, and red flower wreaths were everywhere and there were so many people standing there watching me. Taking a deep breath, and gripping the Cousland shield in front of me, I started to walk down the aisle.

I could see the crowd around me bow as I walked by, but I didn't pay attention to them, as I kept my gaze on my future.

I almost laughed as Alistair's mouth dropped from what I am guessing was shock, when he looked at me. He quickly recovered when I made my way to the steps that led up to him. He took a step down, and held out his hand for me. I placed my right hand in his, and he guided me up the steps to the alter, where the Revered Mother stood. It was the same mother from the Landsmeet that had spoke out against Loghein, and it was the same that had blessed Alistair at his coronation.

"...you look....are beautiful..." whispered Alistair, as the Reverend Mother started to begin the service. He wore the traditional King dragon armor, and as I thought, had the sword that killed the Archdemon strapped to his side.

"You don't look to bad yourself." I gripped his hand as another set of nerves came to me. "Alistair...you were right."

"Right? When am I ever right?"

I couldn't turn my head to look at him, nor could he, as we were not supposed to be talking to each other at this time.

"I mean...I- I understand what you went through at the Landsmeet..." I bowed my head at the Mother as she started to bless us and start again on another chant. "What...What if I mess up? What if I am not a good Queen, or what if this is a huge mistake by marring me? What if we don't have children...you need heirs and..."

He squeezed my hand a little harder, and this time I looked at him. He smiled at me, and it wasn't his lopsided goofy smile that he usually gave me. It was a smile that I wasn't supposed to see. The daydream smile that he would have when I caught him looking at me at camp. And his eyes...oh Maker.

"You will be fine...I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Blessed are they who stand before, the corrupt and the wicked and do not falter. Blessed are the peacekeepers, the champions of the just." She turned to me and removed the crown from my head and gently placed a golden crown of emeralds, and diamonds in it's place. She turned to Alistair and said, "Blessed are the righteous, the lights in the shadow. In their blood the Maker's will is written." She then placed in his hand a ring and step backwards away from us.

Alistair, and I turned to face each other, and I could see the nervousness, that he so well hid before, starting to show.

"Elissa Cousland...I King Alistair, take you to be my Queen, my wife, my companion." He took the ring and placed it on my middle finger on the right hand that he still held. I took a deep breath and together we spoke the last lines of the wedding ceremony.

"The Maker has made us. The Maker has brought us together, and together we shall be."

"So swear I." Alistair beamed at me as he proudly spoke the words that I knew he was dying to speak ever since I persuaded the Landsmeet that I would wed him.

"So swear I." I couldn't keep my eyes off of him, and I could finally feel the tears that I had held back all day, start to fall from my cheeks.

Alistair took a step forward and slowly lifted my veil up, and over my crown. His left hand cupped my chin and slowly lifted my face to his.

"So swear I..." He whispered before he kissed me, sealing my fate as his wife, and as Queen of Ferelden. And as we parted and faced the crowd, my subjects, I felt as though everything was going to be alright. That this was supposed to happen.


End file.
